MERSEYSIDE fire chiefs go to the High Court today to try to stop a strike ballot.

MERSEYSIDE fire chiefs go to the High Court today to try to stop a strike ballot.

Firefighters are being balloted over brigade plans to appoint non-uniformed staff to assistant divisional posts.

Fire chiefs have agreed to delay that decision but the Fire Brigades Union says this still falls short of their demands.

Merseyside Fire Authority wants an injunction because it claims there is no reason for the dispute.

A hearing was adjourned last week because union and fire authority officials said they were not ready.

It is only the second time a UK fire authority has sought such measures against its staff holding a ballot for strike action.

A Merseyside Fire Brigade spokesman said: "This is very much a last resort for us. We believe the conditions laid down by the FBU have been fulfilled and there are no grounds for this dispute."

Andy Gilchrist, general secretary of the FBU, said: "We feel the fire authority has not met our conditions and that's why we are holding a ballot. We are confident the judge will agree with us."

The result of any ballot will not be known until July 5, with any action being taken from July 12.

If there is a call for industrial action, it could take the form of "discontinuous" strike action.

This means firefighters could go on strike for a few hours, return to work and then go off again.

Should the strike ballot go ahead?>

YES:>

Les Skarratts, Fire Brigades Union secretary, Merseyside

"WE never take a strike ballot lightly. But we don't feel the fire authority has met our concerns over the civilianisation of senior posts.

This is only the second time a fire authority has taken court action to stop a ballot. A ballot is our democratic right.

Morale is low but there's quite a determination among the lads to get a yes vote.

Already this year there have been calls for strike ballots over different issues which just shows the feeling among firefighters.

The fire authority should be under no illusion that if we get the go ahead today for the ballot, we will be pressing for a yes vote. I hope the public will support us in any action we take. We understand Green Goddesses will probably be called in but this is important to us. We call on the fire authority to meet our concerns and end this dispute."

NO:>

Merseyside's chief fire officer Malcolm Saunders

"THE people of Merseyside must not lose their fire service, they have paid for it.

The fire authority has given undertakings to comply with national decisions, it always does. I don't think this is a legitimate dispute and people should not be faced with the threat of a strike. There have been three calls for strike action this year alone. It has to stop because I think it affects firefighters' morale.

If strike action goes ahead, I will be forced to bring in the military to provide 24-hour cover for Merseyside and that will have to be paid for by the Fire Brigades Union.

I hope there will be an injunction today stopping the ballot. The real issue is building industrial relations and court is not the place for that. The fire authority will always continue to talk."

The firefighters' last strike>

MERSEYSIDE last saw a firefighters strike in August 1995 - sparked over brigade plans to slash holiday entitlement by three days. The dispute lasted nine months and saw Army Green Goddesses on the streets.

Troops from the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers on standby to fly to Bosnia tackled 999 calls.

Council officers from the five Merseyside authorities were told they should organise their own fire patrols and be prepared to tackle grass fires.

All 999 calls were re-routed to Merseyside police headquarters in Canning Place where senior officers directed calls to the Green Goddesses.

The Army vehicles were called out 140 times in the first 20 hours of the dispute.

It finally ended in June 1996 after firefighters accepted a two-day reduction in annual leave as part of the settlement brokered by Acas.